Rogero's Song from The Rovers; or, The Double Arrangement

Whene’er with haggard eyes I view
  This dungeon, that I’m rotting in,
I think of those companions true
  Who studied with me in the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen—
    -niversity of Gottingen.
[Weeps, and pulls out a blue ’kerchief, with which he wipes his eyes; gazing tenderly at it, he proceeds]

Sweet ’kerchief check’d with heavenly blue,
  Which once my love sat knotting in,
Alas, Matilda then was true,
  At least I thought so at the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen—
    -niversity of Gottingen.
[At the repetition of this line Rogero clanks his chain in cadence]

Barbs! barbs! alas! how swift ye flew,
  Her neat post-waggon trotting in!
Ye bore Matilda from my view;
  Forlorn I languish’d at the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen—
    -niversity of Gottingen.

This faded form! this pallid hue!
  This blood my veins is clotting in,
My years are many— they were few
  When I first entered at the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen—
    -niversity of Gottingen.

There first for thee my passion grew,
  Sweet; sweet Matilda Pottingen!
Thou wast the daughter of my tutor,
  Law Professor at the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen—
    -niversity of Gottingen.

Sun, moon, and thou vain world, adieu,
  That kings and priests are plotting in;
Here doom’d to starve on water-gruel,
  never shall I see the U-
    -niversity of Gottingen!—
    -niversity of Gottingen!
[During the last stanza Rogero dashes his head repeatedly against the walls of his prison; and, finally, so hard as to produce a visible contusion. He then throws himself on the floor in an agony. The curtain drops— the music still continuing to play till it is wholly fallen]

George Canning (1770-1827) and George Ellis (1753-1815). I think George Canning is my current favorite Prime Minister. As opposed to my favorite current Prime Minister, who is of course Youssouf Saleh Abbas, Prime Minister of Chad.